ISBA Board of Governors Awards will be presented to Frank V. Ariano, Margaret C. Benson and Roza B. Gossage at a luncheon Friday, June 22, during the 131st Annual Meeting at The Abbey Resort.

Presentation of the awards was approved by the board on May 18 after receiving recommendations from the Committee on Scope and Correlation.

Frank Ariano, a semi-retired Elgin attorney who spends much of his time in Colorado, nonetheless has chaired the important Committee on Continuing Legal Education during the past two years.

He “has exhibited extraordinary leadership in preparing ISBA for the challenges posed by the new Illinois Supreme Court rules requiring minimum CLE,” wrote his nominators, Wenona Y. Whitfield of the Southern Illinois University School of Law and the ISBA's CLE director Jeanne B. Heaton.

Through his participation on the Strategic Task Force on CLE Implementation, Ariano was instrumental in positioning the state bar in the market and responding to increased programming expectations.

He also enhanced the CLE committee's interpersonal and written interaction with other committees and section councils, and “has established a high standard for committee leadership that many following him will strive to reach.”

Meg Benson, executive director of the Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation, has served on the ISBA Committee on Legislation for more than 12 years and is a trustee of the Illinois Lawyers Political Action Committee (LAWPAC).

Not only does she contribute in committee meetings but is often called upon to rewrite legislation or talk to legislative staffs about legislation, said ISBA legislative affairs director James Covington in his nomination letter.

“The most difficult and labor-intensive effort by Meg on our behalf was her role representing ISBA in negotiating with the Chicago Bar Association over our Parental Allocation bill” since December 2005, he added.

“These were tough, long meetings. Meg became our spokeswoman and chief negotiator because of her interest, personality and legal ability.

“She spent a lot of time editing and amending the proposal by herself so that everybody else would be in a better position for the next meeting,” Covington said, although the effort has not yet achieved fruition.

Roza Gossage, a Belleville attorney, has played a critical role in the development and presentation throughout the state of the ISBA's successful 10-hour CLE program, “Education for Attorneys in Child Custody Matters.”

A dedicated member of the Family Law and Elder Law Section Councils and the Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, “her name has become synonymous with coordinating and presenting excellent CLE programs,” her seven nominators wrote.

The primary coordinator for virtually all family law seminars for many years, Gossage consistently develops ideas for programs, invites diverse and excellent presenters, and often acts as moderator.

“Roza has given tirelessly and selflessly to the work of the association,” said Andrea M. Schleifer, a member of the ISBA Board of Governors.

“She has networked with other organizations in her area and statewide in order to do outreach and enhance the positive image of the profession and of the ISBA.”